032809 More of what life is like in Iraq

032809 More of what life is like in Iraq
Living on a base in Iraq is pretty much like a small town (only generally it's hot and dry and there are lots of T-walls).  So to further answer the question of what life is like here, I've attached a few more pics.  The pics with the covered sitting area is the food court.  There is a Popey's, Burger King, Subway and a tailor shop next to the Subway that does any sewing you need as well as flags or unit guide-ons (sort of a squadron flag).  The big building with the t walls around it and a hard 'top' of kevlar is the PX.  This is the 'general store' and they sell anything and everything in there.  It's run by AAFES which runs all the PX stores for the military world wide.  The hardend roof is kevlar and the building is pretty much impervious to mortar rounds.  The Green Beans is essentially a Starbucks and pretty much looks like it (on the inside) too.  And yes, one must be careful with weapons near the glass case.
R/Chris

26 Mar 09 Tourism in Iraq (really!)

26 Mar 09 Tourism in Iraq (really!)

A long time ago when I was in, oh 5th grade or so, I recall having a humanities class where we learned that Mesopotamia was the 'cradle of civilization'  and that Mesopotamia means 'land between the two rivers'.  I never would have thought then (or even up to a few years ago)  that I'd be living in Mesopotamia but here I am.  And with so much 'old stuff' here in Iraq it was only a matter of time that tourism would eventually come to Iraq.  I think I even heard it somewhere (National Geographic or something) that there are more references in the Bible to locations in Iraq than anywhere else.  Irbil (you can google it) is a major city in the north of Iraq and it is the oldest documented continuously inhabited city in the world (6,000 years or so.)  

R/Chris

19 Mar 09 Flying 300' above Baghdad and what's the vertical range of an AK-47?

19 Mar 09  Flying 300' above Baghdad and what's the vertical range of an AK-47?

 

I flew back from Baghdad to Balad the other day and was able to take some pretty good pics above the city.  Most of these pics are bigger so if you click on each to see the real size you can easily make out details on the houses below.  In a few of the pics you can see one of Sadaam's palaces.  The river is the Tigris and the bend that you see is the south end of the IZ in central Baghdad.  For the most part, life in Baghdad is unremarkable.  People go about their business, go to school, play soccer, etc.  Most of the 'palm' trees are actually date palms and produce some great figs which we eat when available as well.  The T-walls are meant to separate neighborhoods that may still not be 'getting' along very well.

Also I am reminded by many to be 'careful'.  But I actually have very little control over much of my environment.  If I need to go from point A to point B, the Army/AF directs when and how I may travel.  I pretty much do what I'm told, show up, strap in and hang on.  For the most part, what happens is what happens (if that makes any sense).  Having said that,  I used to know this pilot on the west side, who flew Kiowa attack helicopters.  We used to meet for coffee and kept in touch via email.  About a month back I stopped hearing from him.  I've emailed several times with no luck. I really wonder what happened but I suspect I'll never hear from him again.  What happens, happens.

Oh and what is the vertical range of AK-47, it's about 300'.

R/Chris

18 Mar 09 I need a haircut

18 Mar 09 I need a haircut
Before I went to BIAP I got a haircut.  Fortunately a quick haircut is only $3.50 here and I'd say easily 1/2 the military get a haircut every week!  For civilian (pukes) like myself, I get a haircut every 2-3 weeks.  For the most part all the barbers are Indian and they do a fine job.  I usually tip a while $2 (which seems to be the going tip).  If one wants a shampoo and 'longer' haircut then there is a beauty shop where one can get a shampoo and cut and dry for about $15.  The barbers there are philippino women so...maybe for many guys they're paying for a little attention in addition to just some haircut.
R/Chris

18 Mar Trip to BIAP

18 Mar 09  Trip to BIAP

Last Friday I got on a C130 for a short trip to BIAP. BIAP stands for Baghdad International Airport and it is a functioning airport now.  Half of the airport is used by the US military and the other side is used for commercial air service by Iraq.  I've flown out of the Iraq side since KBR uses a Russian charter service to ferry people in and out of Iraq while all other contractors depend upon the US Air Force to get in and out of Iraq.  It's a short trip so one wonders how they lost my baggage!  I went to BIAP to replace a server that was not working well with a better one and I carried the server in a large duffle bag.  Anyway, my bag never got off the plane and so the trip was a bust and I eventually got my bag back several days later.  Guess I'll have to go back to BIAP and try those VERY tasty fried lobster dish!! Oh, and I'll swap out some server too.  The pics are me on the plane and two pics of what BIAP 'airport' looks like.  Pretty spartan huh?

R/Chris

17 Mar 09 Iraq may by downsizing but....

17 Mar 09 Iraq may by downsizing but....
A few weeks back, President Obama put forth in  a speech that within 18 months (or so) combat forces would be out of Iraq and only 'support troups' would be left.  Well, if the current building rate is any indication, we (the US) will be here longer, indeed much longer than 18 months from now.  Above is a pic of a new steel water tank here at Balad.  Initially before there were water tanks, water bladders were used.  Water bladders only last about a year though.  Also the new DFAC (dining facility) was started about the time I got here at Balad about 2 years ago.  Evidently it was decided to add protection from mortars aftere the facility was completed.  So this will probably take about another six months before the new DFAC is even open.  One wonders why 'they' didn't start on the anti-mortar protection as soon as the outside building was completed.  And in case you're wondering, the anti-mortar protection is simply a hard roof made of kevlar that is about the building's roof.  And as it happens, we had a mortar attack just this day and had to go to the bunkers.  Such is life in Iraq.
R/Chris

04 Mar 09 Snow in the states, warm and sunny here in Iraq

04 Mar 09  Snow in the states, warm and sunny here in Iraq
I've not blogged for a while now.  Sometimes it's just not there or there's nothing especially to blog about or I've already touched on the topic.  I'll try to be better but for now,  the best thing about Iraq is the weather.  I know a few guys that have gone home (back to the states) recently and I've kept in touch and each has mentioned that the weather is cold and miserably.  But in Iraq, it's really nice out.  I've seen only a few bats out but as the nights get warmer, there'll be more and more bats.  And as the days get warmer I'll try to do more running at noon.
Anyway, here are some pics.
R/Chris